Thomas County Central has the flashier numbers and the higher ranking and tends to lean more on the running game.
Woodward Academy has a roster filled with Division I recruits, has had more recent success and gets more of its yards passing.
Yet the two teams will have a lot in common when they meet for the Class 6A championship at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
For starters, neither has appeared in a state championship game in more than 20 years. Thomas County Central (14-0) last appeared in a state final in 2002 and won its last title in 1997. Woodward Academy (12-2) hasn’t been in a championship game since winning the Class 3A title in 1980.
Both teams have won two region championships since moving up from lower classifications before last season. Thomas County Central moved up from Class 4A, and Woodward Academy moved up from 5A.
And both are dangerous offensively whether running or passing.
Thomas County Central averages 215.2 yards rushing and 153.5 passing. The Yellow Jackets’ running game is led by Trey Brenton, who has rushed for 1,565 yards and 20 touchdowns on 241 carries. Quarterback Jaylen Johnson has passed for 2,029 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Woodward Academy passes for 163.8 yards per game and rushes for 123.1. Quarterbacks Griffin Marshall and Landon Walker, with very similar stats, have combined for 2,315 yards and 26 touchdowns passing. Lucas Farrington leads the running game with 972 yards and 11 touchdowns. Ben Grice (committed to Wake Forest) has 835 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns.
“Both teams have very good offensive lines and explosive playmakers all over the field,” Jonesboro coach Tim Floyd said. “They are well coached. You have to take away the run game and the explosive plays. That’s most definitely easier said than done.”
Floyd got a close-up look at Thomas County Central and Woodward Academy this season as his Cardinals were one of three teams (Houston County and Marist were the others) that played them both. Jonesboro lost to Woodward Academy 29-6 on Oct. 20 in a Region 3-6A game and lost to Thomas County Central 55-6 in the second round of the playoffs. Those were the only two games in which Jonesboro (8-4) scored fewer than 13 points.
Defensively, the Yellow Jackets and War Eagles are among the top three teams in the classification in points allowed. Thomas County Central is giving up just 8.29 points per game, best in Class 6A. The Yellow Jackets have held nine of their 14 opponents to seven points or less, giving up a season-high 24 in a victory over Region 1 rival Lee County on Oct. 27.
Woodward Academy isn’t far behind, ranking No. 3 in the class with 11.29 points per game allowed. The War Eagles gave up 41 points in an early season loss to McCallie, which went on to win a state title in Tennessee, but have held nine of their 14 opponents to eight points or less.
“Both defenses are well coached and do a good job of taking care of their gap responsibility,” Floyd said. “Both are physical and do a great job of running to the ball. Our game plan was similar vs. both teams. We attempted to run the ball and create some 1-on-1 matchups and attack the middle of the field in the pass game.”
The strength of the defenses is even reflected in the computer Maxwell Ratings, which have projected Thomas County Central to win by a 19-8 score.
Thomas County Central and Woodward Academy have met just one time in their histories, a 48-14 victory by Thomas County Central in the first round of the playoffs that launched the Yellow Jackets’ run to the Class 4A final, where they lost to Thomson 42-27.
Woodward Academy is looking to even the score.
“Thomas County may have an advantage with their defensive front seven and a few more playmakers, and watch out for that crowd noise from the Central fans,” Floyd said. “They both have a lot of explosive athletes on offense, but I think it will be a low-scoring, very physical defensive game. Both are solid on special teams. A mistake on special teams or a blown assignment may be the difference.”
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